This is Nic's story.

Connect With Us: X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast

One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?

Someone needs to start the conversation.

Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.

This is Abbey's story.

In this tender episode of I’ll Start, Abbey shares how anxiety slowly crept into her life, stealing her sense of joy—even in the spaces she loved most. With honesty and heart, she talks about the moment she realized she needed to name her anxiety instead of hiding it, and how that act became a turning point in her healing.

Abbey opens up about the pressure to appear okay, the struggle of holding it all together, and how both faith and therapy helped her begin the journey back to herself.

In the Post-Story Discussion, Heather and Morgan dive deeper into the power of “naming it to tame it,” a mental health principle rooted in brain science, and how it aligns with our faith. They explore how anxiety can reveal what matters to us, and how God’s perfect love can ground us when fear feels overwhelming.

If you’ve ever felt anxious, unseen, or like your peace has gone quiet—this episode is for you. And if it resonates, share it with a friend who might need to hear it too.

Resources from Abbey’s Story:

1. “Name It to Tame It” – Dr. Dan Siegel

This phrase comes from brain-based research on how naming our emotions helps regulate them. Learn more:

• Dan Siegel’s Website
• Book: The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

2. Scripture Reflection: 1 John 4:18

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…”

This verse reminds us that God’s love is greater than our anxiety—and invites us to root our identity in Him.

3. Mental Health Tool: Emotional Check-In

Try this simple tool:

• Pause
• Name what you’re feeling
• Ask: “What is this emotion trying to protect or show me?”
• Invite God into that space with grace, not shame

4. Recommended Devotional:

“Anxious for Nothing” by Max Lucado - Faith-based encouragement for those navigating anxiety.

5. Crisis + Professional Support Resources:

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): nami.org
• Faithful Counseling (Christian therapy online): faithfulcounseling.com
• In a crisis? Text HOME to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor via the Crisis Text Line (U.S. only)

6. Book Recommendation:

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

A powerful exploration of the cultural shifts—especially around screen time and social media—that have shaped today’s mental health landscape. This book pairs well with Abbey’s story and offers practical insight for parents, leaders, and anyone who cares about the next generation.

Connect With Us: X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast

One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?

Someone needs to start the conversation.

Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.

This is Heather's story.

In this deeply honest and encouraging episode, Heather shares her personal journey of living with undiagnosed ADHD for most of her life. From early struggles in childhood to the quiet exhaustion of constantly masking, Heather opens up about the moment things finally began to make sense. Through clarity, kind words, and a faith-filled lens, she began to reframe her story—and in doing so, found hope.

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, love someone who has, or simply know what it feels like to wrestle with feeling “too much” or “not enough,” this episode is for you. It’s a powerful reminder that understanding changes everything.

In this episode, we explore: • What it’s like to live with undiagnosed ADHD as an adult • How childhood experiences can shape our inner narratives • The power of kind words and community • Faith as a source of clarity and hope • Tools for reframing identity and embracing your true self

Resources Mentioned:

ADHD is Awesome by Penn & Kim Holderness – Buy the book

1. “Females with ADHD: An Expert Consensus Statement” This article discusses how females with ADHD often exhibit different symptom profiles compared to males, including variations in comorbidity and associated functioning. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7422602/

2. “Gender Differences in Adult ADHD: Cognitive Function Assessed by the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery” This study explores how ADHD manifests differently in adults based on gender, noting that females are more likely to present with inattentive symptoms, while males often display combined symptoms with higher rates of hyperactivity and impulsivity. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7561166/

3. “Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women” This systematic review highlights that women with ADHD are often rated as more impaired on various measures of ADHD symptoms and tend to score higher on related rating scales compared to men. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38324203/

4. “How ADHD Differs in Males and Females” This article discusses how females with ADHD may experience more significant subjective impairment than males, with a tendency to report more severe inattention symptoms. It also notes different patterns of comorbidity, with males more likely to have externalizing disorders. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876201822002039

Connect With Us: X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast

One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?

Someone needs to start the conversation.

Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.